Page 25 - Griffin Gazette Spring 2017

Tech Shares

Managing Highly Alkaline Irrigation Water

New fertilizer formulations offer plant nutrition and help manage water quality.

By Fred Hulme, Ph.D., ICL Specialty Fertilizers
Adapted from published article in Greenhouse Management, February 2013

Ornamental growers have long struggled with managing growing media pH. Maintaining
correct growing media pH is critical for many crops especially if production time is greater
than six to eight weeks. When media pH rises excessively, micronutrients become less
available and young leaves on affected plants turn chlorotic (Figure 1). The most frequent
cause of high root-zone pH is highly alkaline irrigation water.
The first step in understanding raising media pH is to test the water and determine the level
of alkalinity. If the level is high, Peters Excel® pHLow®, using technology based on PeKacid,
neutralizes bicarbonates in highly alkaline waters to keep the pH stable while keeping
injectors and drip lines clear of mineral deposits. Growers need to simultaneously provide
proper nutrition for their crops and manage irrigation water alkalinity (maintaining growing
media pH control). Peters® Excel pHLow®, is the ICL Specialty Fertilizer water-soluble
fertilizer line that feeds your plants and manages your pH at ideal growing levels. Contact
your Griffin sales representative for more information.

Figure 1. Micronutrient
deficiency due to high
growing media pH

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TECH SHARES